host: table for two? it’ll be about 5 minutes. let me just take your name and mobile…
me: it’s a UK number, is that ok?
host: oh no that won’t work…just need a way to find you then. (looks me up and down)…ok (writes) ‘reallly…white…legs’

and so went my first dining experience in sydney. seemingly unintentional insults aside, it was a most excellent dining experience…not to mention, a most excellent first few days in this chilled out, stylish, diverse and strangely familiar ‘city of villages’. here’s how day 1 and 2 went: